To Cut One's Belly With A Branch
is chapter two of the Kusunoki Mebuki is a Hero light novel series. Summary The chapter starts with Mebuki trying to convince three girls to not relinquish their duty as a sentinal. The girl breaks down and soon says she couldn't do it at all. Mebuki managed to convince one person but the two other girls weren't convinced. Mebuki is soon training within the gold tower and the priestess came up behind her and said those girls were releasing their duty as a sentinal. Due to the officers still being able to fight, the priestess came to the conclusion replacements could be find easily. Mebuki questions this. Her morning training routine was the same as always. She would wake up, change her clothes, she would run and head into the dojo. She would have a wooden rifle and practiced everything. She ironed out any mistakes she made during the time. The priestess calls Mebuki over to the tower one day and she does so. Mebuki ascends to the viewing platform with the priestess. She introduces them to the new replacement sentinals. The rooms the old sentinals formerly had were already considered empty. Mebuki remembers the priestess' words about them being expendable. Parts that could be replace indefitenly. The separate parts didn't even need names as no one would look at thrown out garbage. Suzume starts crying once again saying she should've left with the girls saying they were better at her for training while the girl reassures her that training was just training and she should believe in herself more. She soon says she'll leave the golden tower unfazing Mebuki before she denies it again saying the priestess will get mad. As the priestess started the lesson, Mebuki looked to see the new girls who ahd just been told about the true state of the world. She wonders if they will be able to do well on their first mission and goes into wondering if there will ever be an end to the duty of the sentinals. She reassures herself she will get out of there and become a hero. Lunch time came around and Suzume approached Mebuki saying she was going to die on their next mission. Mebuki denies this saying she would let no one in her team die. The rest of the team comes and Miroku initiates with Mebuki about being the best over here for the next mission before Mebuki says their next mission was investigation. Aya came around and told themshe was praying for the safety of the sentinals even those who just left. Mebuki says she was worried about her with Aya saying she was kind. Mebuki thinks about how the mikos were under strict control of the Taisha at a young age and questions how Aya stays hopeful even after knowing the true state of the world at a young age. Mebuki initiates Shizuku to sit next to her and sat down eating quietly. Mebuki ponders how the Taisha gave her the rank of number nine saying it was an overestimate of her. The sentinals recognized the five girls as a single group now oddly enough. They soon talk about each other's odd eating habits before moving on to talk about their prefectures. Aya let out a warm smile saying it was mysterious having people all over Shikoku gathered in one spot. Miroku asks about Shizuku's parents. After a moment, she responded quietly saying they commited double suicide. To save the atmosphere quickly Mebuki averted the subject to something else and asked if she lived in Tokushima all her life. The quiet girl shook her head saying she attended Shinju-kan Elementary School for her elementary school years. Aya's eyes widened and asked if she knew the group of heroes there. She nodded saying they were in the next class. Mebuki asked many questions about them still unsure why she wasn't chosen as a hero. The following day, their investigation was to gather soil from the former Chuugoku region. They collect the samples quickly and Mebuki remarks over how the gods made her sick. Mebuki soon commenced the retreat back into the barrier before the vertex began fusing. Shizuku soon thought of the word death. They would be placed into a coffin with flower offerings. As the vertex ate her Mebuki screamed out her name. Before seeing a gunshot shoot out of the body before it was slashed revealing a new Shizuku. With vigor she cut down the giant vertex piece by piece with no remorse. Afterwards, Mebuki asks about the Shizuku who appeared on their mission. The priestess tells her it only comes out when she is driven to a corner and as a commander she must make her team cooperate. Mebuki finds Shizuku outside and asks how long she would be out replying she doesn't know and she wanted to have some fun. Mebuki soon initiates her to a fight with a deal if she won she would have Shizuku follow her command. As they left the tower, the sentinals followed them. Their blades kept crossing and Mebuki reminded herself she would not lose due to her strength. Shizuku soon asks why Mebuki was fighting to this extent and she yelled she would become a hero. Her only motivation to fight, to become one of Shikoku's great heroes. Shizuku told her she only knew the school selves of the heroes. Shizuku spoke more about her impression of the heroes, "Kusunoki. You've asked early what kind of people the heroes were, right? As far as I, from the neighbouring class, know, they were a bunch of weirdoes. There was one called Washio Sumi. She had a stick up her ass and was awkward, but it looked like she was always looking out for her friends. There was one called Nogi Sonoko. She lived at her own pace and basically did nothing but sleep, but could do almost anything when she got serious. Well, she only got serious when it came to her buddies anyway. There was one called Minowa Gin. She was a restless troublemaker, I hear, but considerate towards other people and her friends." As they yelled more Mebuki managed to win and Shizuku agreed it was her lost. They smiled to each other reminiscing about their strength. Shizuku was surprised Mebuki found enlightenment from her speech and was proud she had more spirit about her motivation. Aya soon approached them and after talking a bit more told them to get along by joining their hands. "Shizuku, somehow embarassed, turned her head away. Seeing the two like that, Mebuki let out a laugh. Her heart was bright. How long has it been since she last felt anything like that? Was it the feeling of accomplishment after fighting Shizuku with all her might, or was it the feeling of satisfaction after having spoken her heart out? Today, for the first time in a while, she felt like she could get a good night's sleep." Navigation Category:Light Novel Category:Chapter